Define ''Distortion"

[Paul Marossy]

http://www.geofex.com/effxfaq/distn101.htm
http://www.mindspring.com/~j.blackstone/distn101.htm

[brett]

Hi
it's interesting that so many people are thinking of linear vs non-linear changes/transformations.
Don't ALL transformations produce distortions?  (assuming that transformation doesn't include perfect replication - which is impossible outside of mathematics)
Take a piece of steel....can you do anything to it without distorting it?  I don't think so.  I'd suggest that "doing" means transforming, which involves "making distortion", even if it is slight.

But...why are we having this discussion? In recent times, philosophers have generally agreed that most philosophy is a waste of time. (Ha!  )
cheers